UX Lead

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Lead

Company: Ecolab Inc.

Location: St Paul, Minnesota, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: User Experience (UX) / Product Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-08

Experience Level: 8+ Years (with significant leadership)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the creation and adoption of consistent UX and UI standards across the ServiceNow platform, focusing on enhancing user experience from enterprise tolerance to consumer-grade quality.

• Establish and own a comprehensive design system and component library to ensure repeatability and efficiency in experience design.

• Lead hands-on design and development efforts using UI Builder, the Now Experience Framework, and React to build production-ready experiences.

• Champion user research and accessibility, integrating them as core practices to ensure inclusive and effective solutions.

• Act as the primary advocate for user experience, aligning product, engineering, and business stakeholders around a shared vision for quality and user-centricity.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a foundational leadership position for UX within Ecolab's ServiceNow platform. The emphasis on establishing practices from scratch, owning standards, and driving adoption signifies a strategic initiative to elevate the user experience. The "player-coach" aspect highlights the need for both strategic vision and hands-on execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own and meticulously document the UX and UI standards for the ServiceNow platform, ensuring broad adoption across all development teams.

• Develop, maintain, and evolve a robust design system and component library to facilitate consistent and efficient UI development.

• Define and implement design patterns, guidelines, and reusable components that elevate the baseline quality of all platform solutions.

• Conduct rigorous design reviews to ensure adherence to established standards and best practices.

• Spearhead the transformation of the platform's user experience, moving beyond traditional ITSM paradigms to a consumer-grade standard.

• Define, measure, and track key adoption metrics for shipped solutions, using data to inform and drive future design decisions.

• Collaborate closely with product management and business stakeholders to ensure that design efforts address genuine user needs and business objectives.

• Benchmark the platform's experience against leading consumer products to maintain a high standard of quality and usability.

• Design and build user interfaces directly within ServiceNow's UI Builder and the Now Experience Framework.

• Write and maintain front-end code using React, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS for custom components, prototypes, and production experiences.

• Ensure seamless translation of design concepts into implemented solutions, bridging the gap between design and development.

• Establish and enforce front-end engineering standards specifically for UX-related work on the platform.

• Initiate and lead a user research practice, including conducting usability testing and translating findings into actionable design improvements.

• Champion platform accessibility, ensuring WCAG compliance and inclusive design principles are integrated into the design system and development lifecycle.

• Elevate mobile experiences across ServiceNow mobile apps and mobile web to a first-class, consumer-grade standard.

• Establish a formal UX practice from the ground up, defining its tools, rituals, and operating procedures.

• Recruit, lead, mentor, and grow a team of UX designers and developers, fostering a culture of craft and user obsession.

• Serve as the primary advocate for user experience, fostering alignment and communication across product, engineering, operations, and business units.

• Clearly articulate design decisions and strategic rationale to diverse audiences, including executive leadership, through compelling communication and influence.

• Justify investments in UX initiatives by demonstrating tangible returns through improved adoption and measurable business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a blend of strategic leadership and hands-on execution. The emphasis on "building from the ground up" for the UX practice and design system suggests a significant foundational role. The ownership of adoption metrics and the "consumer-grade" experience target highlight a results-oriented approach.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a closely related field. Experience:

• Minimum of 8 years of dedicated experience in UX and UI design.

• Significant tenure in a lead or "player-coach" capacity, demonstrating ability to both guide and execute.

• Proven experience with ServiceNow native UX capabilities, including UI Builder and the Now Experience Framework, across various modules like workspaces, portals, and Employee Center.

• Hands-on front-end development experience with React, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, with a strong ability to build production-ready experiences.

• Demonstrated success in building, owning, and driving adoption of a design system and component library across multiple teams.

• Experience in establishing and documenting comprehensive UX and UI standards and successfully driving their adoption at scale.

• Practical experience conducting user research, including usability testing and translating findings into concrete design decisions.

• Portfolio showcasing consumer-grade enterprise experiences and the ability to guide a platform beyond legacy ITSM patterns.

• Proven people leadership experience, including building or leading teams of designers and developers.

• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills, with a proven ability to engage effectively with executive leadership.

• Track record of owning the adoption and success of shipped products, including defining and measuring relevant metrics.

• Proficiency with design and prototyping tools such as Figma or equivalent. Required Skills:

• Advanced UX/UI design principles and best practices.

• Deep understanding of ServiceNow platform UX capabilities (UI Builder, Now Experience Framework).

• Expert-level proficiency in front-end development with React, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

• Proven ability to design, build, and maintain design systems and component libraries.

• Strong skills in user research methodologies and usability testing.

• Expertise in accessibility standards (WCAG) and their implementation.

• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and presentation skills.

• Leadership and team-building capabilities.

• Proficiency in Figma or similar design tools. Preferred Skills:

• ServiceNow certifications (e.g., CSA, CAD) related to UX, UI Builder, or application development.

• Hands-on experience with ServiceNow mobile capabilities (Now Mobile, mobile app builder).

• Experience establishing a UX or Design Operations practice within an organization lacking one.

• Experience in revitalizing the design reputation of a mature platform or product.

• Familiarity with ServiceNow Employee Center Pro intranet and portal experiences.

• Experience with design system tooling such as Storybook, design tokens, and component documentation.

• Skills in interaction design, motion design, UX writing, or content design.

• Experience working with large-scale enterprise design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "player-coach" requirement and the extensive list of hands-on technical skills (React, JS, HTML, CSS) indicate that this is not purely a management role. The candidate is expected to be deeply involved in the technical execution of design. The emphasis on ServiceNow-specific experience and the desire for candidates who have "built a UX practice from scratch" point to the strategic importance and foundational nature of this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating a progression from initial concept to polished, user-tested enterprise experiences.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the user problem, the design process, the implemented solutions, and the measurable impact (e.g., adoption rates, user satisfaction scores, efficiency gains).

• Examples of design systems and component libraries owned and maintained, showcasing their structure, governance, and adoption impact.

• Demonstrations of hands-on front-end development work, particularly in React, to illustrate technical capability alongside design.

• Evidence of establishing and documenting UX/UI standards and guidelines, with examples of their application and adoption.

• Prototypes or live examples of experiences built using ServiceNow's UI Builder and Now Experience Framework.

• Documentation of user research findings and how they directly informed design decisions.

• Examples of work that meets WCAG accessibility standards. Process Documentation:

• Showcase of established processes for user research, from planning and execution to synthesis and integration into the design lifecycle.

• Documentation of a design system's lifecycle, including design, development, governance, and iteration processes.

• Examples of how design reviews are conducted and how feedback is incorporated to ensure quality and consistency.

• Evidence of processes for collaborating with product managers, engineers, and business stakeholders to ensure alignment and shared ownership.

• Documentation related to defining and tracking adoption metrics for UX initiatives.

• Clear articulation of how accessibility is integrated into the design and development workflow.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are heavily focused on demonstrating both strategic design leadership and hands-on technical execution within the ServiceNow ecosystem. The emphasis on measurable impact, design systems, and establishing processes from scratch suggests a need for candidates who can not only design but also build and operationalize UX practices.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• The annual base salary range for this position is $133,700.00 - $200,600.00 USD.

• This range is determined by various factors including experience, education, training, and geographic location.

• The company complies with all minimum wage and overtime laws. Benefits:

• Eligible for annual bonus pay based on performance, as per plan terms.

• Comprehensive and market-competitive benefits package designed to meet associate and family needs.

• Specific benefits details can be found by visiting the Ecolab Career website or the provided link. Working Hours:

• The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week, aligning with full-time employment expectations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to this role and location. The mention of "Many factors are taken into consideration" suggests that the final offer will be highly individualized. The benefits are described as comprehensive, with a specific link provided for detailed information, which is standard for large corporations like Ecolab.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Ecolab operates within the Water, Hygiene and Infection Prevention solutions and services industry. This context implies a focus on critical infrastructure, enterprise solutions, and a strong emphasis on reliability, safety, and efficiency.

Company Size: Ecolab is a large, global enterprise (implied by the scale of operations and the number of job postings). This means established processes, significant resources, and opportunities for broad impact, but also potential for bureaucracy and a need for strong navigation skills.

Founded: Ecolab was founded in 1923, indicating a long history of stability, innovation, and deep industry expertise. This legacy suggests a culture that values tradition, reliability, and long-term growth.

Team Structure:

• The UX Lead will likely be part of a broader Digital or Technology organization, potentially within an IT department or a dedicated Product Development group.

• The role involves leading a nascent UX practice, implying the team may start small, consisting of the lead and a few designers/developers, with potential for growth.

• Close collaboration with Product Management, Engineering (both ServiceNow-specific and broader development teams), Operations, and Business Units is central to the role's success. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is emphasized, with a focus on user research, usability testing, and tracking adoption metrics to guide design and development.

• A commitment to establishing and adhering to UX/UI standards and a design system ensures consistency and quality across the platform.

• The goal is to move towards "consumer-grade" experiences, suggesting a methodology that prioritizes user delight and intuitive design over purely functional or legacy approaches.

• Emphasis on hands-on implementation, bridging design and front-end development to ensure fidelity and efficiency.

Company Website: https://jobs.ecolab.com/global/en

📝 Enhancement Note: Ecolab's industry and long history suggest a company that values stability, reliability, and enterprise-level solutions. The UX Lead role is positioned as a transformative initiative, aiming to modernize the user experience on a critical platform, which requires balancing established processes with innovative design thinking.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a senior leadership position, specifically a "Lead" role, within the UX/Design domain. It is a player-coach role, requiring both deep individual contribution and the ability to guide and mentor others. It represents a significant step towards establishing a dedicated UX function.

Reporting Structure: The UX Lead will likely report to a Director or VP of Product Management, Digital Transformation, or IT. They will be responsible for building and leading a team of UX designers and front-end developers who will report directly to them.

Operations Impact: The UX Lead's impact is critical to the success and adoption of Ecolab's ServiceNow platform. By ensuring consumer-grade experiences, they will directly influence employee productivity, satisfaction, and efficiency across various business functions. This role is pivotal in demonstrating the ROI of UX investment and driving digital transformation within the organization.

Growth Opportunities:

• Team Expansion: Opportunity to build and scale a high-performing UX team, hiring and mentoring designers and developers.

• Strategic Influence: Shape the future of user experience across a major enterprise platform, influencing product strategy and technology adoption.

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in enterprise UX, ServiceNow platform capabilities, design systems, and front-end development within a large corporate environment.

• Leadership Development: Gain experience in establishing and leading a new function, developing strategic planning, stakeholder management, and change management skills.

• Industry Recognition: Contribute to building a best-in-class user experience that could set industry standards for enterprise platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: This is a highly impactful role for someone looking to build and lead a UX function from its inception. The "player-coach" nature allows for continued hands-on work while developing leadership and strategic capabilities. The growth path is clearly defined by building the team and influencing the platform's direction.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role based in St. Paul, Minnesota, indicating a traditional office-based work environment. This setting typically fosters direct collaboration, spontaneous idea sharing, and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is St. Paul, Minnesota. This is Ecolab's global headquarters, suggesting access to key decision-makers and resources.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace will likely be within Ecolab's corporate offices, offering professional amenities and infrastructure.

• Expect a collaborative environment where the UX team works closely with product managers, engineers, and business stakeholders.

• Access to standard office technology, potentially including specialized design and development tools provided by the company.

• Opportunities for in-person workshops, design sprints, and team meetings to foster innovation and alignment.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time role. While the role is on-site, the emphasis on efficiency and delivering consumer-grade experiences may foster a results-oriented culture that values productivity over strict adherence to hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in St. Paul is a key differentiator for candidates who thrive in collaborative office environments and are looking to immerse themselves in a corporate headquarters setting. This environment is conducive to building strong relationships and driving change through direct interaction.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will likely conduct an initial phone screen to assess basic qualifications, experience alignment, and salary expectations.

• Portfolio Presentation: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, focusing on relevant case studies that demonstrate expertise in UX/UI design, design systems, front-end development (React), and experience with enterprise platforms like ServiceNow. Be prepared to discuss your role, the challenges, your process, and the impact of your work.

• Technical/Design Challenge: A hands-on design challenge or a technical assessment may be administered to evaluate practical skills in UI Builder, React, or problem-solving related to UX standards and component design.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with hiring managers, peers from Product Management and Engineering, and potentially senior leadership to assess strategic thinking, communication skills, leadership potential, and cultural fit. Expect behavioral questions focused on collaboration, problem-solving, and stakeholder management.

• Final Round: May involve a final interview with a senior executive to discuss overall vision, strategy, and fit within Ecolab's broader digital transformation goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best align with the job description, emphasizing enterprise UX, ServiceNow experience, design systems, and hands-on development.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your specific role and contributions, the design process, key decisions, challenges faced, solutions implemented, and measurable outcomes (quantify impact whenever possible).

• Showcase Technical Prowess: Include examples of your React, JavaScript, HTML, CSS work, and any UI Builder or Now Experience Framework projects. Demonstrate how you bridge design and development.

• Highlight Leadership & Process: Emphasize experience in establishing UX standards, building design systems, conducting user research, and leading teams or initiatives.

• Address Enterprise & Consumer-Grade: Clearly show how you've navigated enterprise constraints while striving for consumer-grade user experiences.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design choices, technical implementation, and how you'd approach specific challenges at Ecolab.

Challenge Preparation:

• ServiceNow Familiarization: Refresh your knowledge of UI Builder, Now Experience Framework, and common ServiceNow portal/workspace patterns.

• React Fundamentals: Review core React concepts, component-based architecture, and best practices for building UIs.

• Design System Principles: Be ready to discuss how to create, maintain, and govern a design system, including component documentation and usage guidelines.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Practice articulating your approach to common UX problems, such as improving adoption, ensuring accessibility, or standardizing inconsistent UIs.

• Stakeholder Communication: Prepare examples of how you've communicated complex design ideas and secured buy-in from diverse stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is robust, typical for a senior leadership role in a large enterprise. The emphasis on portfolio review and potential design challenges highlights the hands-on nature of this "player-coach" position. Candidates must be prepared to demonstrate both strategic vision and practical execution capabilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• ServiceNow Platform: Deep expertise required in UI Builder and the Now Experience Framework for designing and building user interfaces within ServiceNow.

• React: Essential for front-end development, building custom components, prototypes, and production experiences where native tooling is insufficient.

• JavaScript, HTML, CSS: Foundational web development technologies for front-end implementation.

• Figma (or equivalent): Proficiency in design and prototyping tools is mandatory for creating wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed, expect to utilize or integrate with ServiceNow's reporting capabilities and potentially other analytics platforms to track user adoption and experience metrics.

• Tools for user research analysis and usability testing feedback synthesis. CRM & Automation:

• Understanding of how UX impacts CRM-like functionalities within ServiceNow (e.g., employee portals, service desks) is beneficial.

• Familiarity with workflow design and automation principles within ServiceNow could be advantageous. Design System Tooling (Preferred):

• Experience with tools like Storybook for component documentation and management.

• Understanding of design tokens and their implementation for design system consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technology stack is heavily focused on ServiceNow's native UX tools and modern front-end development (React). Proficiency in these areas is non-negotiable. The mention of preferred tools like Storybook indicates a desire for candidates familiar with established design system practices.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User Obsession: A deep commitment to understanding and serving user needs, translating into consumer-grade experiences.

• Craftsmanship: High standards for design quality, technical execution, and attention to detail in all deliverables.

• Collaboration: Working effectively across product, engineering, and business teams to achieve shared goals and align on quality standards.

• Data-Driven: Utilizing user research and adoption metrics to inform decisions and measure success, moving beyond subjective opinions.

• Innovation: A drive to evolve the platform beyond legacy ITSM patterns towards modern, intuitive, and engaging user interfaces.

• Accountability: Owning the success and adoption of shipped solutions, taking responsibility for outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Advocacy: Proactively championing the importance of user experience and advocating for user needs to all stakeholders.

• Alignment: Facilitating consensus and shared understanding around design vision, standards, and priorities across diverse teams.

• Partnership: Working closely with product managers and engineers as a true partner, integrating design and development seamlessly.

• Mentorship: Sharing knowledge and best practices to elevate the design and front-end skills of the broader team and organization.

• Feedback Integration: Openness to constructive feedback and a process for incorporating it effectively into designs and standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes a blend of high standards, user focus, and collaborative execution. The "player-coach" aspect suggests a culture where leadership is demonstrated through both strategic vision and hands-on contribution, fostering a sense of shared responsibility and craft.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Establishing a Formal UX Practice: Building a UX function from scratch requires defining processes, tools, and a culture that may not currently exist, demanding significant initiative and change management.

• Shifting Mindset: Moving an established platform and user base from a traditional ITSM mindset to a consumer-grade experience requires overcoming inertia and demonstrating clear value.

• Driving Adoption of Standards: Ensuring consistent adoption of new UX/UI standards and design systems across multiple teams can be challenging, requiring strong influence and communication.

• Balancing Hands-On vs. Leadership: Effectively managing time between direct design/development work and strategic leadership, team building, and stakeholder management.

• Measuring Impact: Quantifying the ROI of UX improvements and demonstrating tangible business outcomes to secure continued investment.

• Technical Complexity: Navigating the intricacies of the ServiceNow platform and integrating custom React components effectively.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• ServiceNow Ecosystem Expertise: Deepen knowledge of ServiceNow's evolving platform capabilities, including new releases and advanced features.

• Design System Maturity: Gain experience in scaling and evolving a design system within a large enterprise context.

• Leadership and Team Building: Develop advanced skills in hiring, mentoring, and managing design and development teams.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Hone skills in stakeholder management and executive communication to drive strategic initiatives.

• Enterprise UX Best Practices: Become an expert in crafting user experiences for complex enterprise applications.

• Front-End Innovation: Stay abreast of and apply cutting-edge front-end development techniques within the ServiceNow framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are significant but directly tied to the growth opportunities. Success in this role means overcoming these hurdles and establishing a robust UX practice that becomes a core asset to Ecolab. The opportunities are geared towards developing a well-rounded leader in enterprise UX.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach establishing a UX practice from the ground up within an organization that currently lacks one?" - Prepare to discuss a phased approach, key foundational elements (research, standards, design system), and how to gain buy-in.

• "Describe your strategy for ensuring consistent adoption of UX/UI standards and a design system across multiple development teams working on a complex platform like ServiceNow." - Focus on communication, training, governance, and embedding UX into development workflows.

• "How do you balance the need for hands-on design/development work with your leadership responsibilities as a UX Lead?" - Provide examples of time management, delegation, and prioritizing where your unique skills are most impactful.

• "What metrics would you prioritize to measure the success and adoption of user experiences on the ServiceNow platform, and how would you track them?" - Discuss qualitative (usability testing, feedback) and quantitative (adoption rates, task completion times, satisfaction scores) metrics. Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Ecolab's mission and how do you see UX contributing to it?" - Research Ecolab's business, industry impact, and values. Connect your UX philosophy to their goals.

• "How would you foster a culture of user obsession and design excellence within a team and across the broader organization?" - Discuss methods for user advocacy, sharing user insights, and promoting design thinking.

• "Describe a time you had to align disparate stakeholder groups around a UX vision or design decision. What was your approach?" - Prepare a STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) answer focusing on communication and influence.

• "How do you ensure accessibility is a core part of the design process, not an afterthought?" - Detail your approach to integrating accessibility from concept to implementation, including testing and standards. Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly state the business problem, your role, the solution, and the quantifiable business impact (e.g., % increase in adoption, % decrease in support tickets, improved task efficiency).

• Showcase Process: Walk through your design process, including user research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration. Highlight how you leveraged ServiceNow tools (UI Builder) and front-end skills (React).

• Highlight Design System Work: If applicable, dedicate time to showcasing your design system contributions – how you built it, documented it, and drove its adoption.

• Demonstrate Leadership: Explain how you influenced stakeholders, mentored team members, or established processes.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Aim for 15-20 minutes for presentation, leaving ample time for Q&A. Practice your delivery to be clear, confident, and articulate.

Challenge Preparation:

• ServiceNow UI Builder Sandbox: If possible, gain hands-on experience with UI Builder to understand its capabilities and limitations.

• React Component Design: Be ready to design and potentially code a simple UI component that adheres to design system principles.

• Accessibility Audit: Practice identifying common accessibility issues in a UI and proposing solutions.

• Process Design: Prepare to outline how you would design a specific workflow or user journey within a given scenario.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation emphasizes demonstrating strategic thinking, hands-on technical skills, and strong communication abilities. Candidates must be ready to articulate their experience with specific tools and methodologies relevant to enterprise UX and ServiceNow.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Lead position at Ecolab Inc.:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Ecolab Careers website.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience with ServiceNow, React, design systems, user research, and leadership. Ensure your portfolio is readily accessible and showcases your most relevant enterprise UX projects.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your 8+ years of UX/UI experience, emphasizing leadership roles, hands-on development skills, and any experience establishing UX practices or design systems. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly prepare for each stage of the interview process, focusing on articulating your process, impact, and strategic approach to UX challenges. Practice presenting your portfolio and mock interview questions.

• Company Research: Understand Ecolab's business, industry, and commitment to digital transformation. Research their current ServiceNow footprint if possible to tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.